In mid-December 2025, the once-bustling roads of Sa Kaeo province have fallen eerily silent. CGTN reporter Dusita Saokaew, on the ground just kilometers from the Thai-Cambodian border, describes how ongoing gunfire and blasts reverberate through concrete bunker walls. 💥
Thai media reports say more than 100 BM-21 rockets — a Soviet-designed multiple-launch system known for firing dozens of rockets in seconds — have struck the area in recent days. Each blast tests the bunker’s resilience and the community’s nerves.
Inside one frontline shelter, villagers huddle together, smartphones in hand, refreshing WhatsApp and local social feeds to catch the latest updates. With checkpoints tightened and roads closed, daily life has shrunk to waiting, sharing rations, and hoping for a ceasefire.
A villager, who asked not to be named, shared they have cooked all they can and stored water. Every night, they check their group chat for updates on relief efforts or safe corridors.
Authorities from Thailand and Cambodia are set to meet later this week for talks aimed at de-escalation. Until then, life inside these bunkers is a daily exercise in endurance, community solidarity, and cautious optimism. 🛡️
Reference(s):
Rockets hit Sa Kaeo: Inside a frontline bunker on Thailand's border
cgtn.com
